The
demographic reality of increasing diversity in the United
States serves as the course’s point of entry and raison d'ętre.
Against this backdrop, participants will: 1) probe the social
and cultural differences among a variety of categorizations of
American diversity including race, ethnicity, religion, social
class, gender and ideology; (2) engage both historic and
contemporary debates about the implications of such diversity
for the creation and sustainability of America's national
character and vitality; (3) explore a variety of contemporary
approaches to dealing with diversity, e.g., interfaith
dialogue, multiculturalism in the workplace and public school
racial integration; and (4) given the 2004 presidential
election, debate the presidential candidates’ policy
positions on related issues.

Meeting
Day, Time and Dates:Wednesdays mornings from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on
Sept. 15, 22 and 29, Oct. 6, 13, 20 and 27, and Nov. 3, 10,
and 17

Timely
and regular attendance.If
an emergency comes up, call me or the main seminary number
(860/509-9500) and leave word.

Keeping
up with the assigned reading and written reflection.

Active
participation in class discussions and exercises.

Auditors
are welcome.They
will be held to the same expectations as credit students,
except auditors are not required to do the written
reflections.

Course Grade:M.A. students will receive a letter grade.D.Min students are graded High Pass/Pass/Low Pass Fail.Course grade is based on: 2 class participation and 2
written reflections.

Written
Reflections: Rather than a major course paper, each student
will keep a "log" of reflections on the reading
assignments, one section for the readings for each class session.Each log section should include:

Personal
reactions to the readings: questions, affirmations, feelings
and connections to your life.

Four
to five, "typed" pages per section (that is, per a class
session=s assigned reading) is sufficient.The "major point" material can be in bullet
paragraph form."Personal
reactions" should be in narrative form.Please keep your "typed," log sections in a
three ring binder.

Session
Outline

September
15

September
22

October29

October
6

October 13

October
20

October
27

November
3

November
10

November 17

Pluralism,
Diversity (Plurality) And Me

Class
Exercises:Who
Am I
Inventorying Your Life Experience With Difference

Skills and Tools

Class
Exercise: Bring a copy of a recent paper you wrote
Reading: Guidelines for Inclusive Use of the English
Language

Politics

There
will be no, official class meeting this week.Rather, students will participate in the online, mini
course “Religion and Contemporary American Presidential
Elections” (See Attached).I will be in the class room from 9:30 – 10:30 for
any students that want to discuss/debrief their online
course experience.Additionally, all students should read: David A. Roozen “The
Political Frame”

This weeklong
mini-course will examine the role that religion plays in
contemporary American presidential elections.

Attention
will be given to issues related to:

The
role of religion in public life and the separation of church
and state,

The
political characteristics of religious groups within American
politics,

The
political significance of religious groups within presidential
campaign politics,

The
religious faith of the presidential candidates, and

The
efforts of presidential candidates to attract religious votes.

Particular
attention will be given to the 2004 presidential election
campaign, within the context of patterns evident over the past 25
years.

Each
of the five “days” of the course will begin with the
instructor’s posting of a brief background essay on the topic of
the day, to which students are encouraged to reply with questions
and comments.Then the instructor will respond to collectively to the
day’s student responses.

American
Pluralism students will “journal” about each day’s
online essay and responses, just as they will for all other class
readings.

He
is the author, editor, or co-author of 10 books, including Pulpit
and Politics: Clergy in American Politics at the Advent of the
Millennium (forthcoming October 2004); Religion as Social
Capital: Producing the Common Good; Sojourners in the
Wilderness: The Christian Right in Comparative Perspective; The
Bully Pulpit, The Politics of Protestant Clergy; and In God
We Trust: Religion in American Political Life.

Dr.
Smidt has served as President of Christians in Political Science,
as Executive Director of the Religion and Politics Section of the
American Political Science Association, and as President of the
Michigan Conference of Political Scientists.